ridgway kennedy



UNITED STATES PATENT Orrrcn.

S. RIDGWAY KENNEDY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PA., ASSIGNOR TO THE S. R. KENNEDY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CAMDEN, N. J.

METHOD OF REMOVING HAlR AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR SHAVING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent NO. 330,790, dated November 17, 1885.

Application filed March 2, 1885. Serial No. 157,499. (No specimens.)

T0 aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, S. RIDGWAY KENNEDY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a certain new and useful Method of Removing Hair as a Substitute for Shaving, of which the following is a full, clear, and complete specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved method of removing the hair by means of a chemical compound or substance without the use of a razor or cutting-instrument, and without possible injury to the skin or the roots of the hair; and to this end my invention consists in the method as hereinafter described, and more specifically pointed out in the claims. a

Chemical substances and compounds known as depilatories have heretofore been known and used for removing the hair from the face or head, or from other parts of the body; but as heretofore used they were apt not only to irritate the skin, but to injure it, and either destroy or injure the roots of the hair. There was always danger of not only injuring and making the skin sore, but also of so affecting the roots of the hair as to diminish or entirely prevent subsequent growth of the hair on the places where the compound or substance may have been used. Only naturally-hardy skins, or such as had become hardened or accustomed to the application of the depilatory, could stand the application of the compound or chemical for a sufficiently long time to satisfactorily remove the hair without being greatly irritated by the action thereof.

To prevent all chance of irritation of the skin and injury to or destruction of the roots of the hair while allowing the depilatory to act upon or remove the hair very close to the skin, I first cover the skin with a thin covering or artificial cuticle, which thoroughly and surely protects the skin beneath from the depilatory compound or substance while leaving the hair projecting up through it. I then apply a chemical compound or substance adapted to destroy or remove such of the hair as it comes in contact with, spreading it over the artificial cuticle covering theskin. The hair projecting up through the protective coating or cuticle is thus destroyed or removed down close to the surface of the coating or cuticle. while the skin beneath is left unaffected. The coating or artificial cuticle is then removed by washing or otherwise, and with it the chemical or compound and the destroyed hair close down to the skin. This coating or cuticle consists of a very thin film of protective material adapted to keep the chemical or compound used as the depilatory away from the skin during the short time that is necessary for the exposed hair to be properly acted upon and destroyed. It is not necessary that the coating or film should be one capable of remaining permanent. It is sufficient if it is capable of resisting the action of the depilatory substance or compound for asomewhatlonger time than is required for such substance or compound to do its work, and for the subsequent washing off or removing of the film, as described above.

I do not limit myself to the use of any particular material, compound, or ingredient for forming the protective covering or artificial cuticle. For this purpose I can use collodion, which can, if desired, be rendered more flexible by the addition of a bland oilas olive, castor, or almond oiltogether with balsam of fir, gum-myrrh, or equivalent thereof. Instead of this, as I prefer, petroleum jelly or paraffine refuse, or tarry matter-a residuum from the manufacture of kerosene or coal oil can be used, which I contemplate rendering antiseptic by passing chlorine gas through it, and thinning by the addition of some of the bland oils referred to above.

Instead of the above substances and compounds for forming the cuticle, I contemplate using where desired a composition composed of gelatine and albumen, or either of them, treated with antiseptics, as boraeic acid, benzoic acid, or their equivalents. Other substances which may be used are camphor in solution, petroleum residuums, &c.

I prefer, where a solution is used, employing other as the solvent, as it evaporates so quickly.

Boracic or benzoic acid can be used, as desired, with any of the substances or compounds mentioned above to render them antiseptic.

To the solution which is to be used in forming the artificial cuticle or protective mask I contemplate adding perfume in the shape of some essential oil-such as oil of bay. The cuticle-mask or protective film is preferably to be made antiseptic and emollient.

I do not limit myself in this application to the use of any particular chemical or chemical compound for the depilatory. I can use a sulphide of an alkaline base, such as sulphide of barium, sulphide of calcium, sulphide of iron, or sulphide of potash, in conjunction or mixed with starch, resin, gum-mastic, or their equivalents or well-known substitutes.

In carrying out my method any suitable depilatory can be used, as desired, without departure from the spirit of my invention.

The substance or chemical compound to be used I prefer to put up in the form of cakes or tablets, each of a size sufficient for a shave, and covered with a protective coating of paraffine, wax, or some soluble varnish adapted to preserve the material of the cake from the oxidizing action of the atmosphere.

After the protective film, mask, or artificial cuticle has been applied to the portion of the skin from which the hair is to be removed, the depilatory substance or compound is applied over the cuticle in a dissolved liquid or semi-liquid form by means of a brush made of mineral fiber or asbestus or vegetable fiberas jute, manila, hemp, Florida moss, or tampico, Ste. A brush made with animal hair, bristles, or fibers will not do, as it would be quickly destroyed.

I do not limit myself to the use of a brush in applying the depilatory.

After the substance or compound used has been allowed to remain a sufficient time to destroy or dissolve the hair projecting up through the artificial cuticle, the latter, together with the depilatory material and the destroyed or dissolved hair, are removed by washing or otherwise. The skin which was beneath the artificial cuticle is then found to be smooth and clear of hair, and neither it nor the roots of the hair will be found to be injured or irritated. Upon close examination the hair will be found to have been removed as close to the skin as it can ordinarily be by means of a sharp razor.

I do not desire to claim herein the cake of depilatory material as put up with its protective covering, nor the brush which I have described as desirable for use in applying such material in carrying out. the method, but reserve the same to be claimed in other applications which I intend filing during the pendency of this case.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. The method of removing the hair as a substitute for shaving, which consists in first applying to the skin a protective film or arti-- ficial cuticle, and then applying over that a depilatory substance or compound to remove the hair projecting through the film or cuticle, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The method of removing the hair as a substitute for shaving, which consists in applying to the skin a substance or material adapted to form a protective film or artificial cuticle, then applying over this film or cuticle a depilatory substance or compound, and then removing the film or cuticle with the depilatory and the destroyed hair, substantially as and for the purpose described.

3. The method of removing the hair as a substitute for shaving, which consists in applying to the portion of the skin afilm or covering adapted to protect the skin around and among the hairs, then applying over this film or covering a substance or compound adapted to destroy or dissolve hair, and then removing the film with the substance or compound and the destroyed hair from the skin by washing or otherwise, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. As an improvement in the art of removing hair with a chemical substance or depilatory as a substitute for shaving, the method of preventing possible injury to the skin, which consists in covering the skin with an artificial cuticle before applying the depilatory, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name tothis specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

S. RIDG-IVAY KENNEDY.

WVitnesses:

WILLIAM F. DAVIS, HARRY SMITH. 

